CHICKEN MANCHURIAN

Chicken Manchurian is an Indo-Chinese recipe. It is very famous in Pakistan too. Pakistan shares a long border with China around Gilgit. Many Chinese Kings came to China for exile. There are many intermarriages between the Kings of Hunza and China. Long story cut short, chicken Manchurian is a Chinese and Pakistani fusion food. A vegetarian version of this dish called cauliflower or Gobi Manchurian is very famous in India.

You can’t go wrong with chicken Manchurian. It’s so simple. For this recipe, you need to fry crispy ‘munch’ that get soaked in sweet and sour gravy. The taste is just yum. There are many versions of this recipe. Here’s is my simple but delicious version.

PREPARATION TIME: 10 mins COOKING TIME:20 mins SERVING: 5

INGREDIENTS

For Munch:
Chicken breast 1 (cut in cubes)
Garlic paste 1 tbsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Egg 1
Corn flour 1/2 cup
Salt to taste to taste
Oil for frying chicken
For the Manchurian gravy:
Cornflour 2 & 1/2 tbsp
Water 1/3 cup
Oil 2 tbsp
Garlic paste 1 tbsp
Crushed red chilies 1 tsp
Soya sauce 1 tsp
ketchup 3/4 cup
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Sugar 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water 2 1/2 cup (or as required)
Fresh coriander 2 tbsp (This ingredient is optional, can be substituted with green onions.)
Green chilies 4 (cut lengthwise in four parts)

METHOD

For Munch:

In a bowl take all ingredients to make munch and mix well. Marinate for 30 minutes then deep fry for 4 minutes on medium heat until crispy. Set aside.

For the Manchurian gravy:

Mix cornflour in water to make a paste. Set aside.
In a wok heat oil and garlic and crushed chili, sauté for a few seconds then add ketchup, soya sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and water. Keep heat to medium and stir well for a minute.
Now add the cornflour mixture and stir constantly to avoid lumps.
When the gravy is thickened and glossy add green chilies and coriander.
Serve with vegetable fried rice.

TIPS:

If you don’t wish to fry chicken, instead of 3/4 cup add just 2 tablespoons of cornflour in chicken.
Then sauté chicken in 2-3 tablespoon oil for 5 minutes.
Now, add garlic and crushed chilies in the same pot and follow the rest of the method.
A super quick hassle-free way to make Chicken Manchurian.
If you don’t want to use tomato ketchup. You many use tomato purée, vinegar, and sugar.
The munch will swell a bit as they go in gravy so make sure the chicken cubes are less than 3/4 inch cubes.
In all Indo Chinese recipes, Chinese salt (sodium glutamate or Ajinomoto) is added as a taste enhancer.
I always avoid it for health hazards attached to it.
The most common but major hazard is for Blood pressure patients who must avoid it.

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